John Winsor

User Generated Prouducts

While most brands have jumped on the User Generated Content bandwagon, many of these efforts only allow customers to create marketing. The next logical step is User Generated Products. The future of deisgn lies in allowing customers to co-create their own products, using the tools that companies own, such as manufacturing. Nike ID is a perfect example.

Real Time Ads in Video Games

A fellow CPBer, Andrew Goldin just sent me a link to Underdark with this article:

Real as in streaming advertisements piped dynamically to games like EA’s forthcoming Madden 2008, NASCAR 2008, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008, NHL Hockey 2008, and Skate. An extension of Microsoft’s game ad company Massive Inc. (purchased by the Redmond software leviathan last year for $200 million), the new EA/Microsoft deal will allow advertisers to feed changeable ads live to virtual billboards or other promotional in-game constructs. Goodbye static, built-in, quickly outmoded huckstering, hello voguish virtual real estate with advertising space for sale by the hour, day, week, etc.

It’s working by tracking the number of seconds players have seen an ad, and then switch it every 10 seconds. 10 seconds of ads view in a game would cost 10$, to be view by millions of players around the globe. Yeah, it’s more advertisements (and who needs those?), but it will also make car-driving video games much more “life like”, when you’re driving through town and the billboards are advertising things that are actually relevant, or at least produced in this decade.

“We’re thrilled to be EA’s trusted partner for dynamic in-game advertising for these products,” said Cory Van Arsdale, Massive Inc. CEO. “The addition of EA’s leading titles to our network represents a tremendous opportunity for brands targeting the youth demographic and sends a clear message that in-game advertising has arrived as a compelling medium for marketers,” he added.

Yankee Group estimates indicate around $26 million was spent in 2006 on dynamic in-game advertising, with the number expected to rise up to $100 million before the end of the year - and up to $650 million within three years.

As gaming becomes even more dynamic they look for them to relace stortelling as the paradigm used to describe human communications in advertising.

The Tragedy of the Tour

Hamilton, Landis, Vino, Rasmussen. What the hell is happening to the sport of cycling? Everyone knows that to compete at this level you have to use drugs. Look at Bonds. To be the best you have to use the best training tools and, like it or not, that means performance enhancing drugs.

Not to long ago I was talking to a person who runs a health club in Boulder. When she asked me about my training I told her, jokingly, that after a couple of decades of competing the only way I'd get on a training program is that if I had access to all of the latest performance enhancing drugs. She responded by saying, "Let's call Todd. He's got the system down." Scary! Drugs are truly everywhere.

The problem with cycling is not the drugs it's the lying. Rasmussen tells everyone that he was training in Mexico when, in fact, he was in Italy. Then, David Millar, a rider who just came off a two-year drug suspension, becomes holier than thou talking about how drugs are ruining the sport.

Cycling has become a circus! I guess it's no different then when a company’s CEO lies about something. In both cases, a trust is broken and customers walk away. When will people in power learn that lies don't work?

Yeah, honesty can be painful, but it can also create more trust.

I'm still going to ride my bike, but I think I'll take the kids to the circus instead of watching anymore of the Tour.

Getting Closer to the Customer

Most of the time, auto insurance is the last thing on my mind. I'm happy with my insurance and would only really think about it when I needed to use it.

Lately however, driving to the Denver airport I've noticed that State Farm has been working with the E-470 Tollway to provide roadside assistance. While I've never notice an ad for State Farm, the brand has become top of mind as I see the signs and trucks on E-470. It's all about getting marketing as close to the customer as possible and State Farm has done an excellent job with this program.

Expand Your Services

Bridget and I wanted to go to a movie last night at the Flatirons Crossing Mall near Boulder. Before the movie, we stopped in at Bloom for a quick bit. As always, we were running a little late and felt rushed when we arrived at the restaurant. Imagine my surprise when the waiter offered to run over to the movie theater and buy our movie tickets for us! How cool is that.

No matter what business you're in, the lines are blurring. Either you can offer new services that your customer wants or someone else will.

On the Road

On the way through Casper, Wyoming a couple of weeks ago it was getting late and the kids were sleepy. It was dark and we weren't sure if we could find a campsite. What to do? We headed over to the WalMart parking lot to find another 20 RVs enjoying the lots safety and convenience.

The morning provided quite a cultural experience as other campers strolled by for a chat. What a blast to participate in a culture I didn't even know existed!